Michelle Yeoh tweets, deletes ‘forbidden’ post about Oscars nominee Cate Blanchett
Michelle Yeoh narrowly avoided a slap on the wrist from the academy.
Yeoh, 60, was in hot water Tuesday for possibly violating the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “References to Other Nominees” rule after reportedly posting a photo of a Vogue article, which suggested Blanchett doesn’t need a third Oscar.
The “Everything Everywhere All at Once” actress posted the photo on her Instagram account mere hours before official Oscar voting ended and then promptly deleted it, according to the Daily Beast.
Yeoh and “Tár” star Blanchett, 53, are nominated in this year’s Best Actress category — and both are considered front-runners.
“Detractors would say that Blanchett’s is the stronger performance — the acting veteran is, indisputably, incredible as the prolific conductor Lydia Tár — but it should be noted that she already has two Oscars,” wrote Radhika Seth in the Vogue article. “A third would perhaps confirm her status as an industry titan but, considering her expansive and unparalleled body of work, are we still in need of yet more confirmation?
“Meanwhile, for Yeoh, an Oscar would be life-changing: Her name would forever be preceded by the phrase ‘Academy Award winner,’ and it should result in her getting meatier parts, after a decade of being criminally underused in Hollywood,” continued the piece.
The academy’s rule states that social media posts from anyone associated with a nominated film that cast a “negative or derogatory light on a competing film or achievement will not be tolerated.
“Any tactic that singles out ‘the competition’ by name or titles is expressly forbidden,” added the rule.
The Post reached out to both the academy and Yeoh for comment.
Yeoh’s Instagram post is not the only bit of Oscar drama that has happened in the lead-up to Hollywood’s biggest night.
Andrea Riseborough, who was nominated alongside Blanchett and Yeoh for Best Actress, was subject to a full investigation by the academy over campaign procedures that rocketed the “To Leslie” actress to fame.
The investigation caused outrage from celebs like Christina Ricci, who blasted the academy for the investigation.
“Seems hilarious that the ‘surprise nomination’ (meaning tons of money wasn’t spent to position this actress) of a legitimately brilliant performance is being met with an investigation,” the “Lizzie Borden Took an Ax” actress wrote in a deleted Instagram post.
“So it’s only the films and actors that can afford the campaigns that deserve recognition?” she continued.
The actress added that it “feels elitist and exclusive and frankly very backward to me.”
Riseborough, 41, was cleared of the investigation and allowed to keep her nomination.
The Oscars are set to air Sunday, March 12, at 8 p.m. with 55-year-old slap-ready repeat host Jimmy Kimmel.
